Brand new cub cadet bought last fall. Dumb-ass me forgot to put in gas stabilizer and the thing won't start. Siphoned the gas, put new gas in still won't start.
Pulled the plug in case I flooded or fouled it.
I assume cleaning off the plug and letting the cylinder air out overnight might give me a shot at it starting. If it doesn't... what's next... replace the plug? Any other tips?
Thanks.
I had problem years ago but had left stabilized gas in tank. It could have been the ethanol in the gas and seals and/or evaporation in carburetor. Had to take it to mower shop for repair and now I run dry when winter is over.
Does the plug actually spark? It should if you can ground it against the engine or ground it to the engine with a jumper wire. It might be hard to see but it should produce a visible spark if you have it in a dark area.
.. that pretty-much narrows it down. < at least compared to Micky's posts :-) >
Any model number on that big honkin' beast ? .. just for starters. John T.
I don't see any point in replacing the plug, and even if they didn't gap the plug correctly when you bought it, I don't see the gap changing in only one winter for a snow-blower that's used for what, an hour or two in a season? Or 10, unlike a car that's used for 50 or 100 hours a month.
Isn't the problem with old gas that the jets are clogged on a carburetor? You do have a carburetor, yes? 60 years ago they sold coffee can sized cans of small parts cleaner that did a marvelous job of cleaning everythign, even tiny holes, but the stuff I bought 30 years ago didn't seem to be as good. (I've heard, not sure, that safety has gotten in the way. Hang, safety. Except for my ability to type the rwrite letters, it never hrut me.)
Still Gumout carb cleaner left to sit for several hours, or a day or two, or drained out and replaced and sitting for a day or two, is what I would try. You may also be able to take the carb apart before cleaning , but I'm not sure why that would give the cleaner more access to the jets. The carburetor might be replaceable for very little. Probably expensive but worth checking.
I don't know what the strongest cleaner available now is. I don't know if they still sell carbon tetrachloride, but it can do really bad thigns to you. Be sure to work outdoors and upwind from your work.
See what they sell at an autoparts store. Go to a real autoparts store and ask the clerk. you shouldn't have to buy 5 gallons or even 1 gallon, just 16 or 32 oz. It used to come in a coffee can with a perforated bucket inside, so you could pull the parts out without getting your fingers "cleaned".
Cub Cadet 2x 26" 243cc engine. Grrrrr.... pulled the gas line to drain it a bit to make sure bad gas wasn't in there, flowing fine. Blew carb cleaner into carb from the fuel intake and the carb choke opening, the thing looks brand new. Turns over starts for 1/2 a second (burning carb cleaner I guess) then stalls out. This is so embarrassing.
Drain the bowl next? Replace the plug (I have a new one) ?
No to changing the spark plug. It's apparently doing its job. Do you have an oil can that you could put some gas in? Use it to follow Bob's suggestion to squirt gas in through the air cleaner. See if it runs while you're squirting gas into it.
I'll try...there is NO air filter on this model just a plastic shroud that partially covers where the choke is. That has me baffled.
The parts you can see look brand new. You can't see inside the jets.
None of this refers to letting it soak in carb cleaner, gumout, something stroger if you can find it, for a couple days.
It itches you in one place and you scratch it somewhere else.
Is this the snowblower?
Cub Cadet 2x 26" Snow blower. I've checked that. Very simple operation, an on/off "key", choke, and throttle. It fires up for a second with carb cleaner in there says ignition is working. Just can't see how it won't deliver the fuel. Bowl is clean, no fuel blockage from tank, blew in cleaner from every orifice.
I let it sit a day or two with cleaner in it, and buying a syringe so I can squirt some gas in there are a test too.
Primer bulb?
Seems ok, don't know how to test the primer. I mean the frakin' thing has about 3 hours runtime on it.
Hope it isn't just the fuel shut-off valve position ? I once saw a Honda push mower where the valve positioning made it seem opposite of what it actually was.
A few google searches seem to point to clogged carb when it runs for only a short time or runs only on choke.
Didn't you see Dean's advice? Or Bob's. Did you follow them? Apparently not or you woudln't be asking the same question again.
But you yourself said it ran a bit on the carb cleaner, so you already know the spark plug works.
If there's really no air cleaner**, that could be a problem after a while, maybe a few years, but not one season.
In addtion to squirting gasoline, you cna use starter fluid. it comes in an aerosol can and it shoujld run as long as you squeeze, but try not to breathe much. I think it's related to ether and will put you to sleep. ;-) if this were a car and you had refilled an empty tank and it was going to take time for the gas to get from the tank to the carb, this would help a lot. I'm not sure what good it is now, except to show you that it runs for a while. (Or maybe there is gas in the jets and so the carb cleaner can't get in there. So maybe it would help to run it for a while, maybe with some gumout in the gasoline??) If it does run for a while, it's your jets or your float level but a) I don't know if you even have a float, and b) float level doesn't change just because gas sits in it all summer. Jets do clog.
**For 1300 dollars it ought to have an air cleaner. $100 lawnmowers have one.It has a 3-year residential warning. I'd call them and ask what the problem is. Tell them what you did wrong.
(Off topic: I've never used ether with a fuel injected engine. I suppose it will work for that too. )
Most walk-behind snow throwers do not have air filters. The elements get wet and then freeze thus cutting off air flow.
I did not know that. I have a yardman and never took notice. I also never drain my tools and they usually start right up. I look at them and think maybe some air in the tires. The only thing i keep on hand for the snow thrower is shear pins. My driveway sucks. The previous owner leveled it out from sink. 10 foot concrete pads. I pick up big chunks. I should take care of that but lazy and handicap plays into it. More lazy.
The carb fowling is the common problem. I would identify the carb, then find a rebuild kit, Ebay has them for ~$10 for common carbs. That will have gaskets, new needle valve, welch plugs, etc. Disassemble the carb, clean it with carb or brake cleaner, blow it out with an air hose, reassemble. Carb kit typically does not include the gasket for the intake, typically those are reusable. You could price out the cost of a new carb too, they aren't too expensive either. You can find useful youtube videos on the process.
I have not checked out the larger engines, but have bought some carb kits from ebay. You get a new carb, gas tubes,sparkplug air filter, and gaskets for $ 15 or less for chain saws and weedeater type engines. Not worth the effort to clean out the old carb for only a couple of dollars if you really save that much by just buying a reduild kit.
Chichanic on youtube has a lot of postings on the small engines.
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